


Home For Dinner

by EternalRedWolfe



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-29
Updated: 2018-07-29
Packaged: 2019-06-18 06:46:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 507
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15479925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EternalRedWolfe/pseuds/EternalRedWolfe
Summary: The Shrouded Man owes Rupert Giles a debt - he tries to pay it





	Home For Dinner

**Author's Note:**

> This little fic connects pre series with the end of Season 3 Episode Enemies.

The woods and brambles were thick. For once, Giles was thankful that he didn't own a shiny new car on which the scratches incurred would show up blissfully. It was to be expected. They could live in blissful matrimony out here, on the threshold of both of their worlds. 

The cottage finally came into view and Giles felt a pang of jealousy. Not that he had had any intentions of his own, ever. But he was about to embark on the journey that was expected of him from a young age, not the one that he secretly harboured. He would probably never live in a cottage in the woods in England with a wife of his own. No, he would be stuck in California, where the sun burned bright every day, training a slayer who would no doubt die young, return to England, get a new assignment and leave again. 

But as he knocked on the door he pushed down any maudlin thoughts, and as the door swung open he beamed as he saw... No one. There was no one at the door. He frowned, about to call out.

"Hello." The little voice caught him off guard and he looked down to where a little girl stood, her brown hair dulling the blue tinge to her skin. 

Giles knelt down. "Hello Samara. It's very nice to see you again." The little girl smiled, hiding half her body behind the door. "Are you mummy and daddy home?"

Samara nodded and held out her hand, leading Giles down the hall to a kitchen. "Mummy." 

"Rupert!"

"Hello, Andrea." His friend pulled him into a hug. 

"Sammy, can you go summon your father for me." 

Giles watched the little girl wander off obediently. "Summoning already?"

"It's rather nice, actually. We almost always have him home in time for dinner. 

And as Andrea finished setting the table, her husband returned. 

The group of four sat down to a good, old fashioned, English dinner, to mark Giles' departure.

Late into the night, Giles bid the family goodbye, Samara gleefully telling him to come for dinner anytime because it meant she got to stay up past bedtime. Giles promised her he'd keep that in mind. 

~~

"That's it, Rupert. My debt to you is paid."

Giles laughed, sardonically. "One dinner isn't going to pay me back for that." He nodded at the figures receding up the stairs. "No, I'm sure I'll put that debt payment to good use at some point."

"Tell Samara I haven't forgotten my promise."

"She no longer needs your presence to stay up past her bedtime." The two men walked onto the upper landing of the library.

"Thank you. For your help."

"My debt to you is paid." Giles nodded in agreement. "Goodbye, Rupert Giles." Lights appeared and the shrouded man disappeared.

"His debt to you?" Buffy asked. 

Giles looked up from his watch as he walked down the steps to the study table. "Yes, I introduced him to his wife."

Giles smiled. Tonight he would certainly be home for dinner.


End file.
